Improvement in electromagnetic voting apparatus



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A. G- SAFFORD.

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC VOTING-APPARATUS.

No.173,673, .Patented Feb.15, 1876.

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NPETERS. FMOTO-L1THOGHAPHER, WASHIMEYDN` D CA and useful Improvements in Recording, Print-- ALrI-t'nn'c-sarronn, or sf'nj-ALBANS, VERMONT.

`|Menon:Minuit-ns: ELECTREMAGNETIC voTiNG APPARATUS.

1 Specification forming part of Letters-Patentlflc 173,673',- dated February 15, 1876 application filed ,l i Vylebruary 8, 1876, i

ot' St. Albans, in the countyrot' Franklin and State ot' Vermont, have'invented eertainfiiew ing, and Counting Ayes and Nays yandI do hereby declare that the following is fa ,t'ull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the artto .which it appertains to make andfsethe same, "reference being had to the accompanying ,draw

fings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. f y

My invention relates to machines for recording, printing, and-counting theayes and nays `in legislative and other assemblies; and it consists in providing each desi: in ,suchv assembly with two separate sets ot'pelectric wires acting independently'ot eachother upon-an electric batterygsothat4 by the aid ot' intervening machinery each member instantaneously, and all the members simultaneously,

can control the location upon a stationary galley ot' type bearing his name, so asto indicate whether he votes aye or nay, and impressions then taken from said type give. the entire list ofall the members voting aye or v nay, or not voting; and also a mechanism lfor Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section on y y of Fig. l.

A represents a stationary galley, of the form ordinarily used by printers, which is divided by metallic strips a into lateral sections oi' suitable width. These strips. do not come quite up to the top ofthe side rails ot' the galley, and they are embedded sufficiently deep into said side rails 'to be perfectly firm. The bottom of the galley is made ot' shee`t-brass or equivalent material; and at the top or head of the galley are placed stationary type containing the words aye, not voting, nay.7 Each side rail of the galley is provided with a metallic strip, b, connected by an electric wire, d, with one pole of an electric battery', the other pole of said battery being, by a wire, d1,

'1 scribed,7

' connected with lthe bottom ofthe galley, and

by; contact lwith the type, as hereinafter de- Within thesectionsol the galley are placed movable type'representing the names ot' each member ot' the assemblyone name to each .section-and eaclrnameheld in a movable carriagehB, tted to andr inovingfrom one side to the other ofy the galley within its respective section, andalso capable of being held in a line, with either ofthe three stationary type'combinationsat the head ofthe galley. i

It is, of course, understood that in speaking otftype they are arranged as ordinary type for printing, so that impressions may-bc taken from the same.' v Y Each carriage B is provided with two arms, C C, extending horizontally in opposite directions through slotsv made in the side rails ot' the galley. I The carriageisalsoatthe top on each side provided with a short projecting arm, e, which, whenthe'carriage is at the side ol' .the galley, is a little higher than the side rail, andv extends over the same. In the end ot' each arm G is a pin, t', which passes through alslot, w, in the inner end'of a bolt, D, placed in suitable standards, and provided. with a spring, E, the action of which is to draw thebolt outward from the galley. In theunder side of thev spring-bolt D is a notch, y, into which takes a hook, h, formed upon the upper end ot an L-shaped armature-lever, H, pivoted upon a rod, f, All the armature-levers ou one side of the galley are pivoted upon one rod; and all thespring-bolts on either side are passed through the same standards. 4vThe construction ot' such parts is, however, im maT terial, and may be varied according to circumstances.

When both the spring-bolts connected by the arms C to one carriage'are heldv by their armaturelevers, the carriage remains stationary in the center of its section on a line With.

the stationary type not voting.77 When in the bolt in the opposite side permitting 110, so that the member by pressing down either of said knobs--according to the way he Wants tovote-will close the proper circuit, influence the magnet, release the spring-bolt, and move the carriage bearing his name to the proper side ofihe galley under the headtypes aye or nay, as the case may be.

It is, ot' course, understood that suitable lines are arranged to form connection with a battery.

The armature-levers H are provided with ordinary resistaucesprings to throw them away from the magnets when the current is broken.

In grooves, upon each side rail of the galley, is placed a slide,.L, which is provided on its inner side `with a projection, m,said arm, when moved along the side rail ot' the galley, coming in `contactwvith the short arm e ot' each and every carriage B that has been moved-to that side ot' the galley. The slide, when thus in contact, closes the electric circuit. The'circuit takes ill a magnet, I', placed under an armature-lever, P, which constitutes the operating-lever of an ordinary indicating apparatus, having suitable dials -and hands. Whenever the circuit is closed by the slide L, the lever P is moved by the impulse of electricity transmitted, so as to turn the tirst hand ot' the indicator one space; and this lever is operated once for every impulse of electricity thus transmitted by the moving ot' the slide or'crcnit-closer L from one end of the galley to the other, and, hence, the indicator Will sho\v how many carriages have been moved to that side ot' the galley-or, in other words, how many members have voted aye or nay,- as-the case may be.

There is to be one indicator and one circuitfcloser't'or each side of the galley.

The battery to be used by the members in voting can very readily be placed under control of the presiding officer, so 'that only when a votel is to be takenl will the knobs on the desks of the members be connected theref with.

When a vote is to be taken the presiding ofticer connects the battery by means of a knob or switch, and each member presses the knob on his desk A*corresponding with the way he wants to vote. This can all be done at one time, or all the members vote simultaneously, and the carriages containing the names are moved, as ab'oved'escribed, to the proper sides ot' the galley. An inking-roller is then passed over the entire galley, and an impression taken, when there will be a complete list, inv

three columns, showing those voting aye,77 those voting 110, and those not voting. The circuit-closers L are then moved from one end ot the galley to the other, for counting the votes on the indicators.

The circuit-closers may be moved by hand, or they may be arranged to go with the inking-roller, if so desired.

Having thus fully described my'invention, What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a voting apparatus, I claim a carriage, or its equivalent, containing type, representing the name ot the member voting', located in a stationary frame, and moved from the center thereof to either side by mechanism controlled by au electro-magnet, the circuit to which is closed by the pressure of a knob, or

its equivalent, on the desk of the" member a votin g, substantial] y as herein set forth.'

2. A stationary frame or galley, divided into a series of' sections containing separate and independent type-carriages, in combination with a mechanism, connected to each carriage,

for moving the same, released by means ot' au electro -magnet at the will of the Amembers voting, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the type-carriage B, arm C, with pin z', slotted spring-bolt D, 4'With notch y, armature-lever H, With hook h, and an electro-magnet and wires connecting with the knob on the desk, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. The combination of the galley A, movable type-carriages B, with arms e, circuit-closers L, with projections m, electric connectingwires, magnets, and indicators, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth..

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afx my signature in presence of two' witnesses.

' ALFRED e. sAFroRD.

Witnesses:v y

WM. B. UPPERMAN,

F. H. DUFFY. 

